


iterum

by ninefables



Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Canon has been taken out back and shot, Canon-Typical Violence, Everyone dies at least once, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Time Travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-12
Updated: 2018-06-11
Packaged: 2019-05-21 04:14:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,286
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14908127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ninefables/pseuds/ninefables
Summary: "Tevinter falls first.The news reaches Seth in the form of a half burnt letter, stained with dried gore. He runs his fingers over the smudged ink and thanks the bird that delivered it with a scrap of meat from his satchel. The author’s signature is nearly illegible, but he can make out the half-charred griffon emblem on the lower right corner."Tags will be added as the story progresses





	iterum

**Author's Note:**

> i don't know what I'm doing but it will be fun. 
> 
> Warden: Semrith Mahariel - rouge, sided with Bhelen, brokered peace between elves + werewolves, saved Arl Eamon, did the dark ritual, saved Amaranthine and the Vigil, killed the Architect.

 

 

The first time, the world burns green.

 

The world is at peace once more, or as peaceful as it can be. With the defeat of Corypheus and the election of the new divine, the Inquisition is disbanded. The venatori are crushed, and the Chantry begins to rebuild.

 

Not everyone is happy, but any revolutions can usually be resolved peacefully, or failing that, with enough gold from the remains of the Inquisition’s coffers. Mages and Templars are still at odds, though outright war ended with the new Divine, news of quarrels reach the remaining personnel remaining at Skyhold periodically.

 

The inquisitor relinquishes his power gladly. He is glad to be free of the public eye, and makes plans to return to clan Lavellan in the free marshes. With the depart of the inquisitor, there is little need for the inner circle to remain at Skyhold. With a teary farewell and promises to keep in touch, the last reminder of the Inquisition disbands. No one pays much attention when Solas disappears with the rest.

 

Two years later, the facade of peace shatters.

 

Solas returns, saturated with power only spoken of in Elvhen legends, and an army to rival the former Inquisition. The world burns.

 

| | |

 

Tevinter falls first.

The news reaches Seth in the form of a half burnt letter, stained with dried gore. He runs his fingers over the smudged ink and thanks the bird that delivered it with a scrap of meat from his satchel. The author’s signature is nearly illegible, but he can make out the half-charred griffon emblem on the lower right corner.

 

 

> _To the Warden Commander of Ferelden_
> 
> _Tevinter has fallen. Demons rain from the sky and the wind carries only ash. The city will be under siege within the next day, and will undoubtedly have fallen by the time this letter reaches you. The Tevinter Wardens are no more, and it would not be unsafe to assume the enemy possesses our secrets._
> 
> _Qarinus was the first to fall. Our outpost was evacuated, as you ordered, when the flags of this new army were first spotted. Messages from our contacts in the city ceased a month from yesterday, we can only believe they are dead or captured. To assume anything else is to hold onto false hope. The smoke from the city could be seen for miles._
> 
> _Vyrantium fell next, and with it we lost a good chunk of our new recruits and supplies. The remaining wardens split, half continuing to Minrathous while the others took the most precious artifacts to Weisshaupt with a warning. We do not know if they made it._
> 
> _The Dread Wolf’s army marches on Minrathous as we speak. We can see the army approaching in the distance and though the city gates is prepared for a siege, I do not think we will last long. Spirits and demons walk among his army like old friends- and perhaps they are- but nothing can stand in their path for very long. Our order fights darkspawn, we will be almost helpless against their might._
> 
> _The veil is thinning. Abominations are becoming more common by the day, as fear and hopelessness grow. The fade is close here, even highly skilled mages are prone to accidental magic- something that hasn’t happened to me since I was but a boy. In any other situation the ease of casting would all but guarantee victory. Now, however, I fear the advantage it will bring an army of demons._
> 
> _Alarm bells ring through the city and the junior wardens look to me with fear in their eyes. I do not know how to reassure them, for our chances of survival are very slim. Perhaps he will be lenient, when dealing with the younger recruits. It is all I can hope for._
> 
> _If by some miracle I survive, I will write to you as soon as I can. This is unlikely._ _If the Dread Wolf appears, it will be my duty to confront him._ _A month- if you do not receive another letter a month’s time after this reaches you, then the worst has happened._
> 
> _May the griffons lighten your step, my friend. It is a shame we will never fight beside each other._
> 
> _In peace, Vigilance_
> 
> _In war, Victory_
> 
> _In death, Sacrifice_
> 
>  
> 
> _-Warden Commander Axilius, of Tevinter_

 

Seth folds the letter into quarters, taking care not rip the charred parchment, and tucks it into his satchel. He returns to his cheap room above a rickety inn outside of Redcliffe and writes three letters: one to Orlais, one to Weisshaupt, and one to Vigil’s Keep. He sends the ravens off with setting sun.

In the morning, he picks up a few small jobs around town and pays the innkeeper for the room. He stays in Redcliffe for two months.

No letter comes.

 

| | |

 

Two weeks after that, Seth arrives at Vigil’s keep. The wardens are grim-faced and their shoulders slump with the weight of a great loss. He dismounts and hands his horse’s reins to a stable hand before taking the stairs to the main hall at a near run. The seneschal meets him at the top, silently handing him a scroll with a broken Weisshaupt seal.

The scroll is written in neat, looping script, a harsh contrast to the hasty scrawl of the last letter he received. He takes a deep breath and begins to read.

 

 

> _Warden Commander,_
> 
>  
> 
> _A copy of this letter has been sent to all remaining strongholds of the Grey Wardens. Our foothold in Tevinter has fallen. A few of our brothers and sisters were lucky enough to escape the carnage of Minrathous- unfortunately Warden Commander Axilius was not among them. Reports say he confronted the Dread Wolf himself to allow several young wardens to escape._
> 
> _The survivors have confirmed Axilius’s reports of demons. They may have been spirits once, but after the horrors committed at Minrathous it would be a disgrace to name them as anything but the horrors they are. We have reports of all types of demons, even some never encountered before. We can only assume they were dragged from the depths of whatever hell the Dread Wolf has created of the fade._
> 
> _The survivors tell is that during the battle, the Tevinter magisters were rendered nearly useless by the closeness of the fade. The veil tore easily and many a mage was overwhelmed by accidentally summoned shades. Those who practiced blood magic were unusually susceptible. When the Dread Wolf marches on the Vigil, keep this in mind. If possible, leave the mages out of the fight, or positioned away from the front of the battle. If local templars - if there are local templars left-  will not cause problems with your mages, consider conscripting them._
> 
> _Abilities such as dispel magic and spells such as mana clash have proven especially effective. Make sure as many of your wardens as possible are trained in these abilities. Stock up on potions and poultices of magic resistance, and consider enchanting armor and weapons to repel fade magic. Enclosed are several recipes. They are for the strongest solutions our potion masters have ever been able to make._
> 
> _At the time we send this letter, there is no sign that the Dread Wolf has begun to march south. Use this opportunity to ready your army and if possible, the royal army as well. You mentioned his dislike of the wardens during your time with the Inquisition, it would be safe to assume he will move on the wardens next._
> 
> _Weisshaupt is well-equipped to deal with a siege. We will not fall as easily as Tevinter._
> 
> _If Weisshaupt falls, then the wardens are truly lost. To prepare the best we can, the fortress will be made impenetrable and thus communications will be ceased. We will send word when the banners of the Dread Wolf appear on our horizon, and then once more if vanquish our enemy. This letter will contain the names of the two Archdemons still living, and the name of Archdemon whose blood you consumed when you were Joined. Trust no correspondence without this._
> 
> _If no letter from Weisshaupt is received 4 months after we send word of the Dread Wolf’s approach, or if the letter does not contain the proper code, destroy the remaining stores of archdemon’s blood, all copies of the Joining formula, and anything you deem necessary to protect the secrets of the wardens. If Weisshaupt falls, then the Grey Wardens have failed._
> 
>  
> 
> _Burn this letter yourself when you have read this._
> 
> _In peace, Vigilance_
> 
> _In war, Victory_
> 
> _In death, Sacrifice_
> 
>  
> 
> _-The First Warden_

 

Seth pauses, biting down on his tongue to stop a mournful sigh. From what he remembered, Axilius was a good man- young for a commander, but a skilled mage and a charismatic leader. The wardens would feel his loss keenly in the days to come. He rolls up the scroll.

“When did this arrive?” He asks the seneschal.

“About two weeks ago, commander,” the man answers, “We’ve received no further word from Weisshaupt.”

Seth nods. “Good. That means we have time. The letter mentioned recipes?”

“Yes. Several documents were included-  recipes for potions and poultices, rune diagrams and quite a few pages of tactics. The recipes have been distributed among our craftsmen, but I could have the other documents sent to your office.”

“Thank you Seneschal, I would appreciate that. Make sure Wade and Herren have a look at those rune diagrams,” Seth replies, turning towards the keep’s doors.

“It will be done, sir,” the seneschal says with a slight dip of his head.

Seth pauses and considers the seal on the letter. The wax was already broken when he received it.

“Seneschal?” He says, without turning around.

The man pauses halfway down the stairs, “Yes, commander?”

“Who else has read this letter?”

Seth waits for several seconds while the seneschal thinks. “As far as I’m aware, only the commander acting in your stead, sir.”

“Thank you,” he says, continuing to the keep’s doors.

The wood is warm from the setting sun and rough against his palms. His fingers find nicks in the intricate carvings, still present from the darkspawn assault nearly a decade past. This fortress has stood against a darkspawn horde. He hopes it will stand against an army as he pushes open the door.

The hall is busier than he remembers. Wardens crowd around the firepit in the center, some with weapons still strapped to their backs and others with mugs of ale or coffee. He nods at those who notice him, but slips through the crowd before he can get roped into conversation. Whispering follows him down the hallway, all the way to his quarters. He locks the door behind him.

A fire is already burning in the hearth, and the furniture is free of dust. He runs the fingers of his free hand over the books lined up on a shelf. Everything seems to be same as when he left, even the book lying on his desk. If he closes his eyes, he can still smell the blend of herbs he used to scent his rooms.

Fighting back a wave of nostalgia, he drops the First Warden’s scroll into the fire and watches until it is entirely burnt to ash. He mixes the ashes with the fire prod once for good measure. It is a few moments before he can tear his gaze away from the flames. With a deep breath, he crosses the room to his desk.

A thick sheaf of paper bearing the Weisshaupt seal is piled in the center of the space. He settles into the chair with a sigh, and skims over the sheets. Mostly tactics that Solas’s army used, as much as the survivors could remember, and some recommended preparations. He fishes in his top drawer for a quill and a bottle of ink.

Feeling awfully worn down, he checks to see if anyone discovered the false bottom in the desk’s bottom drawer. Relief spreads in his chest when he discovers it in place. He pries it up, eyebrows raising when he finds an unopened letter lying on top. He pulls it out, along with a bottle of whiskey from his stash. He runs his fingers over the worn letters from old friends, but shuts the drawer before the temptation to read them becomes too great.

He half-heartedly pushes the false bottom under the desk and tells himself he’ll replace it later. He takes a sip from the bottle, wincing slightly at the burn, before he looks at the letter. The slanting penmanship is unmistakable- Nathaniel. He sets it aside with a grimace, he needs more sleep and possibly more whiskey before he can deal with that.

Another sip of whiskey and he begins looking over the documents from Weisshaupt. His eyes keep darting to the unread letter. At one point, a servant with bread and a light soup knocks on his door. Long after the activity in the hallway had ceased, he places the pages back on the desk harder than he needs too.

He rubs his eyes and carefully replaces the now slightly emptier bottle of whiskey and the false bottom of his drawer before dragging himself over to his bed. He strips out of most of his travelling gear, and drops onto the bed with a bone-weary sigh. Even the feeling of safety the keep usually brings cannot put his mind at ease.

 

Tomorrow.

 

Tomorrow he would speak with the warden constable, and with his senior wardens. They would have to create new drills, increase the training regimen, perhaps even conscript soldiers. The walls and tunnels would also have to be checked and doubly fortified. There were letters to be sent- to the templars, to Denerim, to Skyhold.

  
| | |


End file.
